Junior Hurricanes capture bronze at provincials

Huntsville Forester

HUNTSVILLE - The Huntsville Hurricanes junior girls basketball team attended the Ontario Basketball Association’s provincial championships this past weekend hosted by Kitchener Waterloo. The Hurricanes were ranked 21st in the province, which placed them in the association’s division 3.
Their pool play began with a game against the Toronto Triple Threat, a team the Hurricanes had defeated by five points earlier in the season. The Hurricanes got off to an awful start and were down 10-1 in the first quarter. In the second quarter the Hurricanes’ defence came to the rescue as it held Triple Threat to only three points, which allowed the Hurricanes to finish the half down 16-13.
The defence was the major factor again in the third quarter as Triple Threat was held to three points again and the Hurricanes tied the score at 19-19. In the fourth quarter both teams went on a scoring spree and the Hurricanes outlasted their opponents and came away with a 39-35 victory.
Christi Park led the Hurricanes scoring with 16 points, followed by Maggie Atkins with 13, Emma Fehr with eight, Taylor McAlpine with seven and Michelle Murat with five.
The Caledon Cougars were the Hurricanes’ next opponents, a team that had defeated the Hurricanes by 10 points earlier in the season. The Hurricanes got off to another terrible start as they trailed 9-0 early in the game. By the end of the first quarter the Hurricanes had cut the margin to 10-7, only to see the Cougars open their lead again to 22-15 at the half.
In the third quarter the Hurricanes’ offense finally got on track as they scored 20 points to take a slim 35-34 lead into the fourth quarter. The lead then switched hands numerous times with the Hurricanes up by one with 3.3 seconds left on the clock.
The Hurricanes then committed a foul that sent the Cougars to the line where both shots were made and the Cougars led 45-44. The Hurricanes had one last opportunity, got an open shot that missed, and they were defeated 45-44.
Park led the Hurricanes’ scoring with 15 points followed by Brooke Walker with 10 and McAlpine with eight. Other scorers included Atkins with four, Murat with three, while Fehr and Keeley Wettlaufer had two apiece.
The Hurricanes’ third and final pool play game was against the Brantford Briers and it was a must win if the Hurricanes were to have a chance to advance to the medal round.
The Hurricanes again had a slow start and trailed 13-10 at the end of the first quarter and 21-18 at the end of the half. The Briers hit a half court three to end the third quarter and the Hurricanes trailed by six at that point. The Briers then opened a nine-point lead with the momentum they gained at the end of the third quarter, but the Hurricanes refused to give in. With six minutes to go the Hurricanes tailed by nine, but Murat changed all of that as she hit two consecutive clutch threes and the Hurricanes stormed back to take a well-deserved 44-42 victory.
Murat had a very strong offensive game as she scored 15 points, followed by McAlpine and Fehr with seven apiece. Other scorers included Wettlaufer with six, Park with five and Brooke Walker with four including the winning basket.
The victory against the Briers earned the Hurricanes a spot in the medal round where their opponent was the Etobicoke Thunder.
This was to be another hotly contested battle as the first quarter ended in an 8-8 tie. The Hurricanes then opened a 19-15 lead at the half and held a slim 31-30 lead at the end of the third. At this point the Thunder went on a scoring run and the Hurricanes were unable to respond as they lost 50-42 to dash any chances of a gold medal.
Park had another strong scoring game with 11 and played strong defence against a much bigger opponent. Fehr had 10 points, while Atkins followed with seven and McAlpine chipped in six. Erin Connell and Keeley Wettlaufer each had three to round out the scoring.
In the bronze medal game the Hurricanes were matched against a long-time opponent, the Collingwood Trailblazers. The Hurricanes ended the first quarter up 10-6, and increased their lead 19-12 at the half. The Hurricanes maintained their lead in the third quarter and opened up their margin of victory in the fourth, winning 43-29.
Murat led the Hurricanes with 12 points followed by Fehr with eight and Atkins with seven. Other scorers included Walker with five, McAlpine with four, Park with three, Connell with two and Sam Snowden with two. Other members of this team not previously mentioned are Sarah May and Brittney McCoppen.
This Hurricanes team had a tremendous tournament moving up to 19th in the provincial rankings and showing tremendous grit and determination. Six members of this team are moving on; Park, Murat, Atkins, Fehr, Wettlaufer, and Snowden. We wish you well in all future endeavours.